Silver is Just as Good as Gold
by UnderratedOver
Summary: Lucy's safety is put on a precipice, and team Natsu is doing their best to pull it away from the edge. A fanfic where silver may just be as good as gold.
1. Chapter 1

Maybe it was the booze...

The swirling floor and wavy mages solidified her theory. She knew she shouldn't have taken Cana's offer, anything regarding Lucy and a lot of alcohol was bound to end horribly.

"Lucy, are you alright there?" Mira's motherly voice called from the other side of the bar, concern swimming in her eyes (wavy eyes, according to Lucy's drunk brain). She had to respond, but with what?

"Ehm... Yeh..." She said intelligently, causing the barmaid's eyebrows to knit together in worry and more concern. She smiled lopsidedly, standing from the barstool and tripping in the process. "Lucy!?" Mira called out, leaning over the counter to check on the blonde. She quickly stood back up though, and proceeded to walk in a ragged line out the guild doors. Mira stood back up straight, pausing before shrugging her shoulders and continuing on with her work.

"Will she be okay out there alone?" Kinana asked, setting a mug of beer in from of Macao. "She'll be fine, Natsu always walks her home, especially at times like this" the white-haired woman giggled, thinking about the two teens...walking...alone...

Kinana merely shook her head, a soft smile on her face, "whatever you say Mira, but don't say I didn't ask you". The take-over mage smiled, "she'll be fine"

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_THE NEXT MORNING_

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"Good morning!"

"Good morning Kinana!" The white-haired beauty waved back, smiling at her co-barmaid. "Did you sleep well?" She asked sweetly, setting the clean mugs in their proper places. It was still early, no one else was in the guild hall yet. "Yup!" The violet-haired girl smiled, wiping her hands on a towel nearby. "Good," Mira starts, "because we should expect a lot of people here, many teams should be back from jobs"

Just as Kinana opened her mouth to say something, the guild doors opened and in came team Shadow Gear.

"We're home!" Levy exclaimed, followed by two similar echoes. "Welcome back!" The barmaids said in unison, smiling at the team of three. It was silent as the three got settled in a table. "Too early, eh?" Jet stated, looking around the deserted guild hall. Levy looked over at the wall clock, "It's 6 am, some people should be here at least..." She said, shoulders sagging in disappointment. Her disappointment was short-lived however, when guildmate after guildmate flooded into the guild hall.

Exchanges of happy 'good morning's and 'welcome home's were heard, but the worried barmaid frowned, someone was late.

"Is everything alright?" Kinana asked, glancing at her co-barmaid from the corner of her eye. The white-haired barmaid's frown deepened, "Lucy's not here yet..." She whispered, "she always comes early, and she usually talks to Levy right away..." She glanced over at the script mage. Seems like she noticed too, with the way she kept looking around her and sighing in what looked like disappointment. Kinana sighed, "maybe she's just hungover," the younger barmaid suggested, "people usually don't go to the guild when they're hungover".

The take-over mage sighed as well, "I hope you're right" she whispered. The violet-haired barmaid smiled, "not to mention, you said Natsu would be with her, so I don't see what could go wrong". Mira shook her head, smiling, "lots of things could go wrong if Natsu was involved, Kinana" she laughed, setting a beer mug down on the counter. Kinana laughed as well, "I guess you're right".

Minutes turned into hours and soon, it was late afternoon. Mira's worry started resurfacing. Just as she turned to ask Kinana if she should pass by the celestial mage's home, the guild doors opened loudly.

"We're home!" Natsu shouted from the entrance, followed by a shout of "aye sir!"

"Welcome... Home?" The older barmaid's eyes widened. He was on a mission? She immediately pulled out a big book from under the counter and started flipping through pages.

"Hey Mira! Hey Kinana!" The fire dragon slayer greeted, smiling his well known smile. "Welcome back Natsu" Kinana said, uneasiness lacing her voice. Mira looked up from the book she was skimming, eyes wide in fear. Natsu and Happy _did_ go on a job.

That means Lucy walked home alone...

...drunk...

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**A/N: a new multichapter fanfiction! The proceeding chapters will be longer, I promise! X3**

**I don't know how I'm going to end this really, so if you have any suggestions and comments, please review! If you like where it's going so far or don't! I love feedback, even if it's short~**

**Thank you for reading~**

**:3**


	2. Chapter 2

"Natsu," Mira started, "where is Lucy?" He tilted his head in confusion, "isn't she here?" The barmaid stilled. The guild was rowdy as usual, but for Mira, it was as if time had stopped.

"Why? Is she not here? Did someone hurt her?!" The dragon slayer went into a fighting stance, hands balled into fists. She shook her head, blinking multiple times in a row, "Sh-she was drunk last night, a-and she walked home, I thought you were with her!" the eldest Strauss sibling cried out, eyes growing teary.

The commotion was enough to attract Erza. Having thought Natsu said something to hurt the barmaid, she equipped her sword, "Natsu!" She yelled, "what did you do this time?"

The white-haired woman shook her head rapidly, "No, No! Natsu didn't do anything!" This made the requip mage calm down a bit, "what happened?" Mira sniffled, "Lucy, she-"

Before she could finish, Natsu bolted down the guild hall, "Happy, let's go!" he shouted, the exceed plopping down on his head with an equally enthusiastic 'aye sir!'.

Mira simply shook her head once more before facing Erza, "She just... went home alone... drunk" she lowered her head in guilt, she should have been more careful. She should have remembered that Natsu and Happy were out on a mission. She just hoped Kinana was right, and that she was just hungover.

Outside the guild, a dragon slayer and an exceed ran towards their second home[1], making it there in less than five minutes.

"Lucy!" The salmon-haired teen shouted, standing outside of Lucy's apartment complex. "Rushii!" Happy joined in, activating his aera.

"Happy..." Natsu looked up and jumped, being caught and lifted up by said Exceed. "Do you see her?" He asked, impatiently swinging his legs back and forth in the air. After a few seconds, Happy gasped "Natsu... I don't see her..." tears started forming in Happy's eyes, threatening to fall.

The dragon slayer sniffed, her scent, it was...faint. His eyes widened, the scent was barely detectable. They finally reached the window of Lucy's apartment, with Natsu opening them a moment later.

"Luce!" He shouted, sniffing the air once more. Both the mage and his loyal exceed started frantically looking around, turning up anything and everything. Natsu stopped dead in his tracks, something was shining on him. The setting sun reflecting off of something... gold? It was right in front of the door to the hallway, what could it be? Natsu walked towards it, head tilting in confusion, "this is..." he picked up the item, or should he say, items.

In his hand were keys, golden keys...

Zodiac keys

Ten of them, to be precise.

"Natsu-" the azure exceed stopped, staring at the items in Natsu's hand with big eyes. Lucy's keys, why are they here? Where was Lucy? The salmon-haired mage's hands started shaking, she only had her silver keys? "Natsu, do you smell her?" Happy asked, voice cracking.

It was silent, save the light sniffles of the exceed and sniffs from the dragon slayer. After a painstakingly long pause, Natsu speaks up, "yeah, a little". The exceed breathes a sigh of relief, "where did she go?" Happy flew up to Natsu's shoulder, his own shoulders sagging slightly. "I can't tell, the last time she was here was..." he sniffed the air again, "two nights ago!"

Happy's eyes widen, "two nights ago!?" he cried, "and she didn't tell us!" he covered his eyes with his paws, sitting down and slouching, "what if she's in trou-"

Natsu didn't let him finish because he immediately bolted out the window, Happy quickly activated his aera, their bodies only a foot off the ground. The sun was very low on the horizon, barely noticeable. The orange light reflected off of the bodies of two frantic friends trying to head to their guild, determined to find answers.

A 20 minute walk turned into a 2 minute run as the dragon slayer reached the guild, busting open the large doors in the process. "Mira!" He shouted, stomping his was to the bar, golden keys in hand. Happy quickly flew over him, landing safely on the counter.

"Natsu?" The barmaid turned around, eyes widening at the keys in Natsu's hand. "Where's Lucy?" she whisper-shouted, leaning over the counter towards the salmon-haired teen, both hands flat on the countertop. "She's not there, last time she was there was two nights ago" the take-over mage gasped, hands flying to her mouth. "W-what?" She whispered, eyes growing teary for the second time that day.

Erza glanced over again, unable to sit still. She wanted to confront the pink-haired idiot immediately the moment he arrived, but decided against it. Now, however, she couldn't just sit unmoving while a dear friend could be in danger.

She walked over to the whispering pair and leaned in as well, "wha-" she stilled, eyes landing on the golden keys. The pair looked over to her, Natsu speaking up first, "Happy and I went to her apartment, found her zodiac keys along with her day old scent" he scrunched up his nose, hand rubbing his forehead. "A day old, Erza!" The barmaid cried, tears nearly spilling out.

They were starting to get weird looks from their guildmates, "maybe we should talk about this in master's office..." The requip mage suggested, eyes looking for a certain ice-make mage. Mira sniffled and nodded, leading Natsu up the stairs. Erza looked around once more, then she found him, sitting by a table with a love-struck Juvia watching from a nearby pillar. She walked towards him and tapped his shoulder.

"Gray, we need to talk" she said, voice showing hints of urgency. "Can it wait?" The dark-haired teen turned around and faced Erza, but stood up a moment later. "Never mind" he mumbled, head down low. She nodded curtly before leading him up the stairs, the same way Mira led Natsu. They entered Master's office, where Natsu and Mira were already talking to him.

"Are you sure she didn't just go shopping or on a sleepover?" Makarov inquired, stroking his chin. The tension in the room was strong, anger could practically be felt coming off of Natsu, "Luce wouldn't do that without tellin' us! We're partners!" he yelled, hands balled into fists. Erza proceeded to smack him upside the head.

"Ow..." He mumbled, before sinking in his seat.

Gray was confused, "I'm sorry, what?" he asked, looking to everyone for answers. Mira looked him dead in the eye and his eyes softened, saddened by the look she gave him. She opened her mouth to speak...

"Lucy has disappeared, and she only has her silver keys to protect her"

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**A/N: I wanted to post another done because I can X3**

**Next one might be up in a week or two, depending on my mood... Sadly I don't know how to continue this story... I have a plan for the climax, but it don't know what to do before that ?**

**Please give out your comments and ideas in the review box below! I kinda need inspiration for this story... :3**

**[1] = the guild is their first home, Lucy's place is their second home, and their little hut is their third home :3**

**Thanks for reading! :3**


	3. Chapter 3

_It's all bright._

_Am am I still alive?_

_I feel fine..._

_My head hurts like hell though._

The celestial mage opened her eyes, seeing nothing but white. "W-wha?" She tried sitting up, but her head begged otherwise. She flopped back down, shielding her eyes with her right arm.

"What on earthland...?" The distressed teen whispered, closing her eyes once more.

_Where am I?_

She opened her eyes and tilted her head, looking to her left and to her right. All white. She groaned, her headache would not go down. The blonde rolled to her left, bracing herself on her arms.

Her arms wobbled, her head just felt so heavy, just like a block of lead. She looked straight ahead (what was once behind her) and saw all white again. The ceiling was white, the floor was white, it was as if she was floating in a world of bright light.

"Oh come o-" she stilled, looking at something in the distance. She squinted her eyes, trying to get a better glimpse of...whatever that was.

A black dot, that was all she could see. No matter how much she squinted her eyes, she could only make out a tiny spot of black. _What was that?_

With much difficulty, the celestial mage stood up, nearly falling back down in the process. She stood, unmoving, before taking small steps towards the dot.

The teen didn't know how much time passed, she didn't know how long she had been walking, she only knew she was exhausted and_ couldn't_. She just _couldn't keep walking_.

With an inhale of breath, she reached for her keys, _'Virgo should be able to help me, or at least Loke, someone to keep me company_' she smiled at the thought before stopping, her hand felt around more and her eyes widened, "What?" She looked down and gasped, only her silver keys were there.

5 silver keys, and that was it.

She fell to the ground, maybe she dropped them on her way here? Yeah, maybe she just dropped them. She stood back up and turned around, walking back to where she started, swaying side to side.

Minutes, maybe hours passed, and Lucy had never been so distressed. She walked on aimlessly, turning around just to use the fading black dot as a reference point. There were times where she thought she lost sight of the dot, that was when she really started to panic. But that would be over when she would find it again, just a little more to the right than she last remembered.

Tears started forming in her eyes, what if she couldn't find them? Screw Aquarius getting mad, how would she get mad if the celestial mage couldn't summon her in the first place? Lucy's bottom lip trembled_, what about everyone else? _

She wiped her eyes, gaining some motive. She stood up straighter and turned around, walking quickly back to the barely noticeable black dot. She would find a way out of here, and she would find her keys too. The blonde made a determined face and kept walking, arms at her sides, swaying to her stride.

She was going to find out where she was, how she got here, and who put her here, and who knew about her missing zodiac keys. And she knew she was going to have a great time showing them that they chose to mess with the wrong person.

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**A/N: just a really short chapter. Sorry if you wanted longer ones, I just wanted to show what happened to Lucy (thank you Justrockzyxxx-san)**

**If you're confused with Lucy's whereabouts, don't worry, they will be explained soon **

**Once again, sorry for the short chapter**

**Please review! **

**Thank you for reading~**


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